General Electric Company

Ferenc Papp

Jozsef Fulop

Istvan Wursching

József Fülöp

István Würsching

László Bánkuti

Jozsef Tokes

Istv&aacute;n W&uuml;rsching

J&oacute;zsef F&uuml;l&ouml;p

Akos Ocsovai

David Joseph Kachmarik

Kelvin B Belle

Erzsebet Cserteg

Robert S McFeely

Leon F Chamberlain

Brian M Ronald

Raymond Albert Fillion

Sandor Lukacs

János Orbán

Zoltan Vamos

Clarence J Harsa

L&aacute;szl&oacute; B&aacute;nkuti

S&aacute;ndor Luk&aacute;cs

Kalman Antal

Donald W Kuk

Károly Tálosi

&Aacute;kos Ocsovai

L&aacute;szl&oacute; T&oacute;th

Norbert Benk&oacute;

Jozsef Frank

Zoltan Szanto

Róbert Kardos

Laszlo Toth

This compact fluorescent lamp includes a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube formed of glass and enclosing a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas. A ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes disposed at each end of a continuous arc path for controlling the current in the tube. A substantially spherical portion of an outer envelope encloses the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion encloses the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope is closed and sealed by a seal formed of the same material as the material of the outer envelope. In the associated method of manufacture, the envelope is separated by cutting along a circumferential line into an upper part and a lower part, the ballast circuit introduced into the lower part and respective lead-in wires and the lead-out wires are short and need not be insulated. The ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are held and supported in the outer envelope by the connecting wires and fixing means.

Compact fluorescent lamp and method for manufacturing

The compact fluorescent lamp comprises a bulb shaped outer envelope enclosing a discharge tube having a coiled configuration and a ballast unit for controlling the current in the tube. The lamp further comprises at least one joint mechanical support and starting aid means for positioning the discharge tube and the ballast unit and reducing a breakdown voltage path of the discharge tube. The at least one mechanical support and starting aid means is made of an electrically conducting material and connected electrically to at least one of the electrodes. The neck portion has a retaining member, and the mechanical support and starting aid means is supported by the retaining member and clamped on the discharge tube at least at a location in a vicinity of a middle section of the arc path. The mechanical support means further comprises at least one support section to provide support against an apex of the outer envelope, and at least one fixing section for fixing of the discharge tube.

Compact fluorescent lamp with mechanical support means and starting aid

A compact fluorescent lamp includes an inverted compact fluorescent light source housed within an outer envelope. Locating the first and second ends of the coiled CFL source positions the electrodes within a substantially spherical outer envelope at a location remotely spaced from the ballast compartment. In this manner, only small diameter first and second lead wires that mechanically and electrically engage the electrodes pass through small dimensioned passages in a separation member in the outer envelope cavity. This substantially reduces the thermal stress on the components.

Compact fluorescent lamp with improved thermal management

There is provided a cap and socket arrangement for compact fluorescent lamps. The lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement made of glass and having sealed ends being positioned at one end of the lamp. A continuous arc path is formed inside the discharge tube between two electrodes disposed at one end of the lamp. At least one of the sealed ends is also provided with an amalgam fill. The sealed ends of the discharge tube arrangement are received in the cap, and the cap comprises contact members and a protruding fitting member for being received in the socket. The socket has a hollow member for receiving the fitting member of the cap, and contact elements for receiving the contact members of the cap. The fitting member and the socket are provided with matching positioning elements for determining the position of the cap with respect to the socket and thereby determining the spatial position of the electrode with respect to the amalgam. The fitting member of the cap of the lamp may comprise an asymmetric groove and the socket may be provided with an asymmetric key element to be associated with the asymmetric groove of the cap.

Lamp cap and socket arrangement

An electric lamp comprises an inner assembly including a light source and a control gear circuit. An outer envelope encloses the light source and at least a part of the control gear and has a predetermined wall thickness and an end portion. The outer envelope is comprised of two parts separated along a circumferential line. The two parts of the envelope are connectable and sealable to form a uniform outer envelope with a seal region. The seal region has a wall thickness and is merged in a surface portion of the two parts of the envelope so that the surface unevenness of the seal region is not greater than 0.5 millimeters, and the maximum difference of the wall thickness of the seal region with respect to the wall thickness of the outer envelope is not greater than 0.3 millimeters. A method for manufacturing an electric lamp as described above is also disclosed. During connecting, and sealing the two parts of the envelope by a welding process,

Electric lamp with inner assembly and outer bulb and method for manufacturing

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and has electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires for controlling the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope comprises a substantially spherical portion, which encloses the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion, which encloses the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope has a neck portion with an open end on a base side for receiving a base shell. The open end of the neck portion is closed and terminated by a closing and neck reinforcing means of a material compatible with the material of the outer envelope, which has a substantially circular opening. The lead-out wires are led through the substantially circular opening to a base shell for connecting said lamp to said supply voltage through a socket. A method for manufacturing a compact fluorescent lamp as described above is also disclosed. In the proposed method the open end of the elongated portion of the outer envelope is closed and terminated with a closing and neck reinforcing means comprising a substantially circular opening for leading through the lead-out wires.

Self-ballasted compact fluorescent lamp and method for manufacturing

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires for controlling the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope having an open end on a base side is closed and terminated by a closing means of the same material as the outer envelope. The closing means is provided with a tubular opening. The lead-out wires are isolated from each other and led through the tubular opening to a base for connecting said lamp to said supply voltage through a socket. A method for manufacturing a compact fluorescent lamp as described above is also disclosed. In the proposed method, the open end of the elongated portion of the outer envelope is closed and terminated with a closing means comprising a tubular opening for leading through the lead-out wires.

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a discharge tube arrangement with at least one discharge tube. The tube is formed of glass, encloses a discharge volume filled with a discharge gas and has a fluorescent phosphor coating disposed on the inner surface of the tube. The tube forms a continuous arc path and is provided with electrodes disposed at each end of the arc path. The lamp also comprises a ballast circuit mounted on a printed circuit board, which is oriented in a plane substantially parallel to the principal axis of the lamp. The ballast circuit is connected to the electrodes by lead-in wires and to a supply voltage by lead-out wires and controls the current in the tube. A bulb shaped outer envelope has a substantially spherical portion enclosing at least a part of the tube arrangement and an elongated end portion enclosing at least the ballast circuit. The end portion of the outer envelope having an open end on a base side is closed and terminated by a closing means of a material compatible with the material of the outer envelope. The ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are held within the outer envelope and relative to each other in a predetermined position by a holding and protecting shield being oriented in a plane substantially perpendicular to the principal axis of the lamp and comprising a receiving and fixing portion for the discharge tube and the printed circuit board of the ballast circuit. A method for manufacturing a compact fluorescent lamp as described above is also disclosed. In the proposed method, the ballast circuit and the discharge tube arrangement are inserted into and attached to a holding and protecting shield.

Compact fluorescent lamp with outer envelope and method for manufacturing

A starting aid in combination with a fluorescent lamp is provided. The lamp comprises a glass discharge tube () which includes a discharge path and is convoluted to have a plurality of discharge tube legs. These legs extend into and are secured in place in a plastic housing. Lamp electrodes () are located at respective end points of a discharge path and disposed in some of the discharge tube legs. The lamp electrodes are connected to means suitable for electrically connecting to a socket. The starting aid comprises an electrical connector disposed in the plastic housing of the florescent lamp. The starting aid has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the means suitable for electrically connecting to the socket. The second end is secured to an end portion of an electrodeless discharge tube leg. At least a part of the electrical connector is formed as a spring. A fluorescent lamp system with a starting aid is also provided. The lamp system comprises a ballast unit which controls electrical power received from an external power source. The electrodes () of a sealed lamp unit are connected electrically to the ballast unit and disposed in adjacent tube legs of the sealed lamp unit. A first electrical connector () is connected with one end to the first lamp electrode (). Its other end is secured at least to one of the tube legs located along the discharge path consecutively next to the tube leg in which the second electrode () is disposed. A second electrical connector () with one end is connected to the second lamp electrode (). Its other end is secured at least to one of the tube legs located along the discharge path consecutively next to the tube leg in which the first electrode is disposed.

Starting aid for fluorescent lamp

A low pressure arc discharge lamp with an end-of-life structure is described. The lamp has a discharge tube with sealed ends, and the sealed ends contain a filament for forming a discharge arc. The filament is supported by lead-in wires. The discharge lamp further comprises a connecting element made of an insulating material which transversely connects the lead-in wires within the discharge tube. The transverse dimension of the connecting element is chosen so as not to allow the discharge arc beyond the connecting element upon end-of-life of the discharge lamp.

Low pressure discharge lamp with end-of-life structure

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises a plastic housing. The plastic housing includes a plastic cap and a plastic shell. A discharge tube extends from the plastic housing through openings formed in the plastic cap. The compact fluorescent lamp further comprises a tubulation which contains amalgam material and communicates with the discharge tube. A heat conducting means is integrally formed with the plastic housing which is suitable for receiving a heat conductive material forming a thermal bridge towards the tubulation.

Compact fluorescent lamp with a housing structure

An electrode-to-ballast interconnect is provided in combination with a fluorescent lamp including a discharge tube bent substantially in a plane. The discharge tube is shaped at least in part to define a substantial portion of the boundary of a zone in the plane. The part of the tube defining the boundary includes at least one straight portion. The discharge tube has a symmetry axis in the plane and sealed tube ends provided with electrodes, and the tube ends re-enter said zone. A base housing is laid within said zone and receives the tube ends. The base housing includes a ballast circuit which is located at least partly on a circuit board positioned substantially parallel to the plane. The electrode-to-ballast interconnect comprises electrode-in-leads which are connected to each electrode and embedded in the tube ends. Terminals are anchored in and protruding from the circuit board. The electrode-in-leads are pre-formed to a shape suitable for connecting to the terminals. Means is formed in the circuit board for urging the electrode-in-leads to the terminals during assembly. The electrode-in-leads and the terminals are joined electrically and mechanically. The base housing protrudes at most half of the outer diameter of the discharge tube from the space defined thereby.

Electrode-to-ballast interconnect of flat integral type compact fluorescent lamp

A compact fluorescent lamp comprises at least one discharge tube ( ) convoluted to have discharge tube legs substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis. At least two of the discharge tube legs include lead-in-wires ( ). The lamp also comprises a plastic cap ( ) which is a hollow body defined by a cover wall ( ) receiving the discharge tube legs through holes ( ) formed therein and a side wall ( ). A bonding material is applied between the discharge tube legs and an inside portion of the cover wall ( ) of the plastic cap ( ). The bonding material requires a heat treatment for setting. A ballast circuitry is located at least partly on a circuit board ( ). A plastic insert piece ( ) is disposed in the plastic cap for holding the circuit board ( ) substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis at a distance from the discharge tube legs. The lamp further comprises a base housing ( ) which includes a base shell ( ) and connects to the side wall ( ) of the plastic cap ( ).

Compact fluorescent lamp with built-in operating circuit

The invention relates to a base for compact fluorescent lamp comprising a body and a cap which are fixed to each other along an outside connection surface, a discharge tube is fixed in the cap and metal pins ensuring a releasable electrical contact are fixed in the body Electrode inleads of the discharge tube are connected to the metal pins, and a connection hollow ensuring an also releasable mechanical joint is formed in the body Extensions as elongations of the wall of the connection hollow are formed inside the base where at least one opening is formed in the extensions and some of the electrode inleads are connected to the metal pins through the opening. Another aspect of the invention is that the extensions are formed inside the base as an elongation of the wall of the connection hollow, and some of the electrode inleads are passed through between the extensions and then are connected to the metal pins.

Base for compact fluorescent lamp

This invention relates to compact fluorescent lamps, and, more particularly, to the construction of connections inside the compact fluorescent lamp. The compact fluorescent lamp has a base (24), the base is connected to a housing (26) including a ballast circuit (18). The housing (26) is separated from the fluorescent tube (28) by a cap (20) on the side of the housing opposite to the base (24) and current feedthrough wires (2, 4) protrude from the fluorescent tube (28) inside the housing (26). The electrical connections between the current feedthrough wires (2, 4) and the lead-out wires (3, 5) of the ballast circuit and/or the junction lead-out wires of the base (24) are made by welding the corresponding wires together through metal connection elements (14).

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Budapest, Hungary

Ferenc Papp